Improvement in machines for rerolling and reducing old rails



H. GREER.

MACHINE FOR RE-.R.0LLING AND nznvcme OLD mus. No. 187,224,, PatentedFeb'.13, 1877.

TATES PATENT Futon;

:HQWARD GREER, OF HARMAR, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT m MACHl NES FOR REROLLING AND REDUCING OLD'RAILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 187.22%, dated February13, 1877 a lication filed August 7, 1876.

To all whomtt may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD GREER, of Harmar, in the county of Washingtonand State of Ohio, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Ironand Steel Rolling Machinery, which improvement is fully set forth in thefollowing specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

. The object of my invention is to reduce old iron and steelrailway-bars and similar shapes to smaller cross-sections, of either thesame or any desired shape, and of marketable length of finished bar, ata low heat, without turning, folding, or lapping one part of the surfaceof same upon another, thereby obviating and rendering unnecessary weldsand welding heats by such an arrangement of grooves r passes in either atwo or three high system of rollers as to gradually change the old formof rail into the new shape by mild compression in each successive passor groove till the desired result is attained, the pressure beingapplied alternately at-right-angles, as shown in the front elevation,Figure-1, 'of accompanying drawin gs.

The invention consists in arranging the passes or grooves through whichthe iron is drawn or rolled alternately fiat and edge so that'a verticalline drawn through the rail, when inverted, will be perpendicular 'tothe axes of the rollers, and parallel thereto when turned one-quarter,and so alternately-4. a, the first groove or pass B, Fig. 1, beingformedto receive the old rail in. an inverted position, so that the breadth ofthe flange or base of the said rail will be parallel with the axis ofthe roll. The next groove U, Fig. 1, is turned onequarter, with the headtoward the groove B, and the breadth of flange or base of rail at rightangles to the axis of the roll.

Also, in the shape of the groove 0, Fig. 1, formed by upper and middlerolls, the flange side of which is so flaredz'. (2., formed at anoblique angle to the axis of the rollerthat the part where the railfirst enters is somewhat larger than the inner part, in consequence ofwhich the rail will be compressed and reduced in the direction of itsnatural height, while the vertical pressure reduces the breadth thereof.

Also, in making the head side or portion of the first four passes orgrooves of nearly a uniform size, and as large as the head of the oldsection used will allow, with a view to improve the quality of theproduct or finished bars. In shaping-rolls iron or steel will run or beforced into that part of the groove on which the least pressure falls.On this prineiple I make the first three or four grooves of nearlyuniform size in the head portions or openings of the same, so that whenpressure is brought upon the other parts of the section, a portion ofthe material contained in said other partsi. e., flange and webwill beforced into the part or side which forms the head, thereby giving that.part the greatest available quantity of material, or largest practicablecross-section, in order that a maximum pressure may be brought upon thehead of the section in the remaining grooves, thus producin g a head ofgreat solidity. The desideratum in a railway-bar is fine grainv in,'andsolidity of, head, both of which are accomplished by the above method.

Also, in the guide-plate X, Figs..l and 2, Fig. 2 being a perspectiveview, fully showing the shape and arrangement of the guiding channels orholes, which conform to the shape of the rail and support the same inits pas' sage through the rollers, keeping the thin web erect, andpreventing buckling of the same to a great extent, while the piece orold section passes through the broad grooves B, D, and L, whose sidescannot be made to fit the web of rail, since these grooves must be cutwide enough to admit the head of the old section. X, Fig. 1, representsthe guide-plate in position, plainly showing the roll-grooves, to whichits rail-shaped channels guide, each being placed directly opposite thegroove to which it leads.

The operation is performed as follows: A single piece of straight orfolded old rail-section, (when folded in the shape of the letter L,

or U, Fig.3, it must be somewhat straightened by pulling the ends apartbefore entering the rolls,) being brought to a soft working heat, isinserted into the groove B, Fig. 1, formed by the middle and bottomrollers, through the rail-shaped opening in the guideplate X, Fig. 1,opposite and leading to the said roll-groove B, in the position plainlyinthe height of the old section about one-fifth,

increases the head proportionately, and the Web slightly. After passingthrough B the piece is turned one-quarter, so that the position of theflange of the old rail will correspond to the flange side of the groove0, Fig. 1, formed by the upper and middle rollers, through which grooveit is then returned, and by which it is reduced in the breadth of theflange by the vertical pressure, and also in the direction of the heightof the rail by the horizontal pressure caused by the flared shape of.

the flange side of the said pass or groove,whi1e merely sufficientvertical pressure is brought upon the web and head to keep the same frombuckling, and make the rail deliver comparatively straight. The objectin thickening the head and web is to give sufficient material to theseparts to obtain the proper draw or reduction for the last pass, to givesolidity of head and symmetry of form to the finished product. Comingfrom C, Fig. 1, it is turned one-quarteri. 0., till it assumes aninverted position corresponding to the channel or hole in theguide-plate X, Fig. 1, opposite and leading to the groove D, formed bythe bottom and middle rolls, through which it is now passed. The sidesof the said guide-plate, holding the rail erect as it passes through therolls D, reduce the height and thicken the web and head. From D, beingturned one-quarter, as before, it is returned, through G, Fig. 1',between the top and middle rolls, which reduces the breadth of flange,and straightens any buckling D may have given to the web or head. It isnow turned a quarter and passed through L, being held erect by theguide-plate X, Fig. 1, as in B and D. Receiving its final flattening inthis pass or groove, it is again turned a quarter, and, being threadedthrough 0, Fig. 1, is returned, through U, a finished rail or othersection, as the case may be.

It is evident the same result maybe attained by cutting the head partsof the grooves B, D, and L in the middle instead of the bottom roller;also, as the main object of B, D,

and L is to reduce the height of the section and increase the size ofthe head, the number of such grooves or passes may be increased ordiminished to suit the old section used and new one desired. Less thantwo will never be found sufficient, and more than four rarely, if ever,required. Three will suffice for all usual sizes and conditions.

If it is desired to reduce the height of the old rail more rapidly thanbythe foregoing system, the groove G may be made flaring on the flangeside, the same as groove 0.

The above arrangement and shape of passes or grooves may be made on tworollers instead of three, and the same result obtained thereby, but withloss of both time and power.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The series of roller-grooves B, O, D, G,and L, comprehending the particular shape described of the flange sideof groove 0, such groove graduated in dimensions relatively to theothers, and the series presenting alternating upright and flatwisepasses to the rail, substantially as described.

2. The series of roller-grooves B O D G, presenting alternating uprightand flatwise passes for the rail, so graduated in dimensions as togradually reduce the breadth of the flange and of the web, but leave thehead or tread of the rail unaltered, substantially as described.

3. In combination with one or more rollergrooves for reducing thedimensions of a railway-rail, or butt of same, one or moreguidinggrooves conformable to an inverted railwayrail, for accuratelypresenting the rail to the upright passes, substantially as described,and for the purposes set forth.

HOWARD GREER. Witnesses:

F. J. CUTTER, THOMAS EWART.

